Chapter 1: Coulter
by imajisaheartlandfan
Summary: A young girls world is turned upside down when a gang of killars, the notorious O'Driscolls murder her entire family. Luckily for her though, she finds refuge under the protection of the Van Dar Linde gang and slowly begins to move forward, choosing to stay with the gang and mainly Sadie, the woman she now looks up to...
1. Chapter 1

**So, I stumbled across a video on YT of a person playing RD2 and it caught my interest. I watched a play through of the entire game and I have come to really love the storyline and the characters. I have never played this game, never had the chance as I don't have Playstation or anything like that and probably won't ever get to play but I've decided to do a fanfic on it anyway just because I love it so much. **

**This story is about Chapter One, and a little bit after before Chapter Two. Just so this makes sense to you all, the gang has been trapped in the mountains for quite some time (over a month) and that's why this story is rather longer than the game (it has a lot of different storyline) but still follows the general drift. **

**As for what characters are going to be included in this story, let me tell you. All the characters (of the gang) will be in it at one time or another. However, there will be more of my favourite characters. This is my choice, so of course they will be in it more. These characters are Sadie (my number One top fave), Hosea (who doesn't love ol Hosea?) Arthur (Cause we can't leave out the leading man), Dutch (well, you'll find out but our little OC is somehow relat-) I'll leave that to your imagination. Susan (she does have everyone's best interest at heart) and lastly a few characters of my own (for very obvious reasons) **

**This story is completed in a first draft that is going to be edited then uploaded one chapter at a time. This story is Chapter one, there will be Six stories in total (once they are written) and the Epilogue. I have a storyline written out and I won't be taking storyline requests. I will listen to ideas but if they don't go with what I've got planned they won't be included. **

**Alright, I've probably bored you enough with all this talking. Enjoy this Prolouge and be sure to drop a review if you did! **

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Prologue

_The young girl smiled as she sat on the back of a beautiful black stallion, surveying the setting sun as it sank down behind the horizon. This was her favorite time of the day, when the sky was painted with brilliant colors, all the colors of the rainbow. A thin scattering of clouds in the orange sky glowed like gold as the last remaining rays of sunlight shone upon them, then they disappeared as the sun was obscured from her view by the mountains it slipped behind._

_A slight breeze was blowing, ruffling the girls long brown hair and the stallions mane and tail gently and as the girl shivered, she was reminded that winter was coming. Lingering for a moment longer, she sighed, then lifted the reins and turned the horse back towards her home. Once winter set in, and she knew it was going to be a harsh one, she wouldn't be able to watch the sunset like she did every day during the other seasons. She was going to miss it, miss seeing all the spectacular colors of the sky. Looking over her shoulder, she took one last glance in the direction the sun had set in, then nudged the stallion into a gallop down the slope back to her home. Life for her was perfect, or so it seemed…_

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_Another woman was watching the sunset that day far away from where the girl was, but instead of watching it from the top of a cliff, she was watching it from the porch of her house. Leaning against the wooden post, her eyes were fixed on the glory and splendor of the gorgeous sunset. A gentle breeze blew her blonde fringe into her face and she quickly tucked it back behind her ear as her long skirt was ruffled and slapped into her legs. Shivering a little, for the breeze brought a chill nip with it, she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders then returned her gaze to the sky._

_The sun was almost setting as she heard her husband ride back up the path and enter the barn and a small smile spread across her face. It was his birthday today, and as a present to him, she had brought him a new saddle since his old one was torn and beyond usefulness. He had left at first light to check on their small herd of cattle so she hadn't been able to surprise him with it before her went out, instead she had placed it on the door of his horses stall with a note on it. She loved him, and he loved her. Even though they had only been married for three years, those days had been filled with bliss as they worked together on the ranch they were carving out of the ground with their bare hands. As the sun slipped away down beyond the horizon, the smell of the cake she was cooking filled the air, bringing her back to reality. With one last wistful sigh towards the west, she turned and entered the house to prepare him his dinner. Life was perfect, or so it seemed….._

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Alright, I hope you enjoyed this short Prolouge, and I'll see you again soon with your the first chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far, I know that the last chapter was short, but it was the prologue. Anyway, here is a nice 3k+ chapter for you to enjoy! **

**Chapter 1**

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Sadie groaned as she felt the morning sun shining on her face through the thin glass window of the small cabin she had been sleeping in, heralding the arrival of yet another day. Growling in her throat because what little sleep she had been having had been interrupted, she rolled over and placed the pillow on top of her head. She wasn't about to get up, wasn't planning on getting up at all. She didn't want to have to face another day, and goodness only knew how many more she would be having, stuck in a ridiculous gang. Granted, they had been nice to her, but still, what did she have to live for? Everything that had meant anything to her was gone. What motivation did she have to get her moving? The only thing that she had really ever cared about and loved was now lying six foot under, pushing up the daisies because of some gang that decided to take their ranch from them. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't fair. Stifling a cry, she wished that she had died with him, then she wouldn't be here now, working with a bunch of outlaws. She and Jake had been happy together, living on their ranch until the events of that horrible day. Even in her dreams she kept reliving it, sleep bringing back horrible nightmares of what had taken place. It wasn't fair, he shouldn't have been killed. He was a good man. He should have still been alive, they should have been starting a family of their own, but now instead she was left with a huge emptiness that had quickly turned into hate and anger. Even though it had already been over a month since her husband had died and she had lost everything, then been rescued from his killars by the people she was now with, the pain she was experiencing was as raw as it had been the day Jake had died.

Hearing Mary-Beth next to her stirring from her quiet sobs, she tried harder to keep them in, forcing herself to swallow back her emotions. If she was going to be tough and fight it through, she couldn't afford to show weakness, when she was trying to do the very opposite. Being strong and trying not to let it get to her. She had to be strong, to be brave, feeling that if she didn't she would be kicked out of the gang she had been accepted into. She had found out in the time she had already spent with them was that she constantly had to prove herself, to prove that she belonged. Heck, they didn't even trust her enough to let her set foot outside the place they had taken over as their camp, that dog Micha still saying that she was against them and that they shouldn't trust her. Already she was starting to hate him, but he seemed to have an influence on the others, and they had decided to keep their distance till they could see what side she was on. Having been stuck in the same place for a month so far, hating everyday the restrictions they had placed on her, she swore that if she had to spend another day in the stuffy cabin she would go crazy.

'Mrs. Adler , are you alright?' Mary-Beth asked as she propped herself up on her elbow. Receiving no reply, she scooted over from her side of the tent and placed her hand on Sadie's shoulder, feeling the woman flinch at her touch. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeh, just fine.' Sadie snapped back, then realised how harsh her tone sounded. Pulling the pillow off her head, she punched it hard, taking her anger out on it rather than her cabin mate. She was just frustrated, so tired of it all. The pain, the anger, the feeling of being worthless and not belonging. 'But I won't be if I'm stuck in this stupid camp for one more day. I'm so sick of it, so flipp'n sick of being watched like a hawk, not being able to do anything because no one trusts me. I'm just so SICK OF IT!' She growled, punching the pillow so hard that it burst. Growling again as soft duck feather down floated back the the floor of the cabin, she hit it one last time. "I don't belong here, I don't have any place anywhere. I'm better off dead."

"No, you are not." She replied with force. "Sadie, you've had a terrible loss, and I understand that your having a hard time, but don't think that."

"Well, I can't help it. I can't do anything without Van Dar Linde or one of the looking over my shoulder, heck, I can't even set foot outside the camp so I can go for a walk and have time to myself. Even though I'm grateful that they took me in and all, I can't help but feel like I'm being suffocated."

'I know how you feel.' Mary-Beth snorted. 'Ever since that run in with the O'Driscolls Dutch won't let any of us go anywhere.' She saw the anger flash in Sadie's eyes at their mention and cringed. The other woman was already mad, and an angry Sadie was something not to be messed with, her as the other gang members had already found out that fact. The only ones who seemed unfazed by Sadie's outbursts were Arthur and Dutch, but the rest of them were slightly scared of her. She could be fine one moment, then a sobbing mess the second or an angry terror like she was starting to drift into this very minute. Who could blame her for her behaviour though, with all she had been through? 'Sorry Mrs. Adler, I shouldn't have said that.'

'What's done, is done.' She replied through gritted teeth, then threw her covers aside and got up. Quickly she made her bed and cleaned up the feathers from the busted pillow without another word to Mary-Beth, then headed out into the cool morning air. A thick, mushy layer of snow was still on the ground, the cold winter going through a short heatwave that was melting most of the ice and snow, leaving the ground a wet, boggy mess. Sighing, she was glad at least to see that the weather was being a little kinder then it had been for the past month. Looking around in the dawn darkness, she could hear the soft whispers of the other people as the gang began to wake for another day, the sun just barely beginning to shine through the thick trees of the forest they were staying in. Letting her eyes adjust to the dim light, she saw the horses standing together in a small group, quietly eating the what grass they could find around them, without a care in the world. The men had brought them out of the barns the day before so they could try to eat what little grass their was, to save the food they did have for later. The jingle of their halters, and the tweets of the small sparrows pecking around them gave everything the feeling of calmness, but Sadie could feel a storm brewing inside her.

Closing her eyes as she felt her sadness burning up inside her, she began to concentrate on her breathing to try and calm the waves of sorrow she would experience every time she thought of her husband, and his death. The monsters that had murdered him had made her watch helplessly as they killed him before her very eyes, and had laughed as they did so. She could still hear the blood curdling screams she had made, trying to get away from them so that she could rescue her husband, but there had been nothing she could do. God dammit, she hated those men, hated them with a fierceness she had never thought she would be capable of. It was a rage that would overtake her every time she thought of it, and the only thing that would calm her was the promise she had made to herself. That one day she would make them pay for what they had done and taken from her.

Arthur had seen Sadie leave her cabin and had been watching her from where he was sitting beside the fire. As he continued to keep an eye on her he threw the remainder of his coffee onto the ground and got up. Quietly, he approached her so that he didn't scare her. 'Little early for you to be up, isn't it?' He said gently as he walked closer, to let her know of his presence so that she didn't swing out at him in fear again. He already had one black eye from her, and even though he knew it was what had happened to her that made her so jumpy, he didn't want another one anytime soon. 'I mightn't know you well, but normally your still snoring up a storm at this time.'

Sadie heard him coming and momentarily took her gaze off the horses.'Couldn't sleep.' She turned away from him, looking back at the herd. 'And I don't want to talk about it.'

'Alright, we don't have to.' He knew what she was struggling with, but also knew that she wouldn't vocalize it, let alone to him. In time though, he hoped that she would start to open up, to deal with what was tearing her apart, but he could guess that healing for her wouldn't happen until she had taken out her revenge on the men who had killed her husband.'Nice morning isn't it?'

'Yeh, I guess so.'

Arthur stood in awkward silence as Sadie stood staring at the horses, then finally spoke up again. "Mrs. Adler, I know that you hate having to be here, but you don't have much of a choice. However, I have been talking to Dutch about letting you have some line, now that you've been here for a little while, and he's agreed to let you have some slack."

"Well, hallelujah." She snorted, slightly exasperated that it had taken so long. Seriously, what did she have to do to prove that she was with them? It was like they still thought she was on the side of the people that had killed her husband. "Took him long enough."

Arthur chuckled a little, then quickly brushed it off as a cough when he saw the way she was glaring at him. He could see the sadness in her eyes, the pain, but he could also see the anger and hate she held trapped inside herself. "I know it's not worth much, but Mrs. Adler, I do trust you." He watched as her eyes flickered a little, and her face expressed her surprise at her admission. "I think you deserve a chance, a chance to at least prove you have what it takes to stay here. How would you like to take a ride with Dutch and I later today?'

At the instigation of being allowed to leave camp, but with the mention of proving herself to stay, Sadie turned to him and looked up cautiously. 'And what exactly does it entail?'

'Oh, nothing dangerous." He quickly assured her. "It's just a social call to a ranch near here. Charles and Hosea came across it a couple of days back, but there was no one there at the time. As you know, hunting around here is a little scarce at the moment, so Dutch was hoping to buy a couple of steers if the owners have returned to do us till it picks up again. I thought you could do with a little change of scenery.'

"Yes, I could, but I don't want you to take me along out of pity." She still had a sense of pride, even though most if it was already in shreds and she was desperately trying to cling onto the last remaining pieces. 'I don't want people feeling sorry for me.'

"I assure you, , that that's not the case."

'Fine then. I'd be glad too." She could feel herself getting emotional from what he had said about her getting a chance, and didn't want to blow it by showing it. 'Now beat it, I want to be alone.'

'Alright, alight.' He put his hands up in surrender. Getting her cranky was something he wished to avoid, but he could tell it was only from the walls she was placing around herself so that she didn't get hurt. Although, it would harm her more then help her in the long run.. 'No need to get so snappy. Pick a horse from the bunch and get acquainted with it. These horses here don't have set riders, so whichever one you pick will be yours to look after. You know where we keep the tack, so find something that will fit it and be ready. We'll be leaving in a couple of hours.'

Sadie nodded as her face returned back to normal with her emotions in check, glad to hear that she was going to be doing something other then nothing for a change. Even if it was just a matter of going to a ranch with them to buy cattle. 'Alright. I'll be ready.' She replied as he walked away, then called after him. "Wait, Mr. Morgan,'

He stopped and turned back to her. 'Yes?'

'Thanks.' She gave him a tensy smile. 'For trusting me and giving me a chance to prove that I belong. I know that I ain't the easiest person to get along with, but I am trying really hard to not be a burden on the rest of you all. I promise you though, you won't regret convincing Mr. Van Dar Linde to let me in, I'll try to do my fair share to earn my keep.'

"I know you will." Arthur nodded, thinking of something to try and encourage her. 'I know you won't let us down.'

Sadie turned back to the horses after he had left, then proceeded to walk over closer to the herd to get a better look at them in the early morning light. Glancing over each of them with an experienced eye, she began to search for the horse she would call hers. Slowly she walked among them, checking each one over for the qualities she desired in a good horse. Sound legs, deep girth, intelligent head, bright eyes, then mentally marking off each one that didn't fit the bill. It took her a little while, and by the time she had narrowed it down nearly all the camp was up and going around their business, while the smell of breakfast cooking filled the air. Finally she was left with just three horses to choose from. A stocky tri-colored paint gelding who obviously had some mustang blood in him, a pure white mare that she guessed was some type of warmblood and a tall chestnut thoroughbred stallion.

Surprisingly enough, as she looked over the horses, she had began to relax and enjoy herself. Horses were the one thing she knew well, and they always put her in a good mood whenever she was around them. Whenever she had been worried or upset about something, it had been her horses she had turned to, and now, she was doing the same thing again. Walking up slowly to the stallion, she gave him a pat on the neck as he snorted then stood and sniffed her cautiously. "There's a good boy." The stallion snorted again as she reached down and grabbed his picket line, untying the rope as the stallion began to dance in place while shaking his head about. 'Easy boy, easy.' She soothed as she patted him again, getting him to calm down. One thing was certain, he had plenty of spirit, that was for sure. She liked her horses having spirit, but also knew that they could be quite the handful if the mood took them. 'Now, let's see about us being friends, hey?' Talking gently to him, slowly she led him away from the other horses and over to the supply wagon as the gang sat down to eat breakfast.

"Mrs. Adler, are you going to join us?" Susan asked as she began to dish up everyone's portions at the fire her and the cook had prepared at, deciding to have breakfast outside since the weather was being a bit kinder. "You missed dinner last night."

"I'll be along soon." She replied as she led the horse around them, feeling a little more optimistic then she had felt in a long time. It had to be the fact that the horses and Arthur's news had put her in a better mood, she still was morning her husband's death. "But you had better save me some please." Tying the stallion to the hitching post next to the wagon, she found a brush and started to give him a thorough grooming, heavens knew he needed it.

'Found yourself a horse I see.' Dutch interrupted her thoughts as he strood over to inspect the mount the woman had chosen, having already already eaten his portion of the food. 'Good choice. You have an eye for horses.'

'That's not the only thing I have an eye for, Dutch Van Dar Linde.' She stopped currying the stallion's coat and turned to him. 'I know you think me weak and a crybaby, but I want those pigs who killed my husband dead, and if I see any of them, they're going straight to Hell. They're going to pay for what they did to me.'

'I agree, Mrs. Adler.' He stepped closer and placed his hand on the horses withers. 'And I have my own vengeance to take out on Colm O'Driscoll, but all in good time. There is a time for all that, and it hasn't come yet. We will avenge your husband's death, but not now. Our main goal is focus at the moment is to find food, and keep everyone alive. Our quarrel with them can wait.'

'But-'

He cut her off. 'I have spoken. Now is not yet the time.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys,**

**I thought since I've finished writing Chapter 1 of the game according to the game I might as well finish uploading it. I don't know yet if I'll continue it and go the whole way through, it just depends on my other fics I have working. My Heartland fanfiction is taking preference at this time.**

**Please excuse my liberties with Sadie's character, I know that she according to the game was in a deep state of grief for the first part of the game and that will happen, its just a little further down the track.**

**They will also be spending the entire winter in Coulter, not just a few days like in the game...**

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It was a few hours later when Dutch, Sadie and Arthur left camp, riding up north higher into the mountain ranges. The air still had a cold nippiness to it, but thankfully the blizzard force winds had ceased to blow for the day. As they rode on through some thick forest, Sadie could hear tree branches snapping under the weight of the snow and ice, but that, and the sounds of the horses as they cantered through the slushy snow were the only things to break the silence. Reaching down to pat her horse as the two men stopped, she glanced over at them to see what the hold up was. 'Why are we stopping?'

Arthur circled his horse around as he looked at the ground. 'Wolf tracks, an entire pack. They're fresh too, at most only a couple of hours old.'

'Well, let's hope they're far away right now. It won't help us if we get into a tussle with a pack of hungry wolves.' Dutch took a quick look at the tracks, noting what direction they had headed then turned his attention to the map Hosea had drawn him. 'We're not far from the ranch now, let's go. Stay close Mrs. Adler, those wolves might still be around.'

'Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.' She kicked the horse into a canter after them with her heels, watching the tree line then her thoughts returned to the subject of the trip. 'Let's just hope these folk are going to let us buy a couple of cows for our troubles.'

Dutch didn't reply to her as he concentrated on the trail in front of them, making sure that they stuck to it so they wouldn't get lost. The snow was getting thicker on the ground again as they went up higher into the mountains, and he could feel the temperature dropping as dark clouds started to gather. They needed to get the cattle and get back to the camp fast. Kicking his horse into a quicker canter, he tried to identify the landmarks Hosea had told him about that were on the way to the ranch. Finally, after riding for another good hour they stopped on a ledge overlooking the ranch. Grabbing out the binoculars, he growled as looked through them at the ranch below. 'Dang confound it.'

'What is it?' Arthur asked as he stopped his horse beside Dutch's, trying to see what he was mad about. 'Is something wrong?'

'See for yourself.'

Arthur took the binoculars that he handed to him and peered down where he had been looking. 'Except for a house and barn, there's nothing there. No livestock, nothing.'

'Exactly.' He took the binoculars back as Arthur steadied his horse, the stallion jumping up and down with displease from the cold. 'Hosea said that the cattle were in the corral next to the house, and now they're not there. That fence has been broken too, and that barn doesn't look in any better shape.'

'Do you think the cattle spooked and broke through fence? Or do you think they had some help in disappearing?'

'I'm betting on the second one.' He picked up the reins of his horse again and nudged him down towards the ranch on the trail. 'Come on, we'll go take a look. We'll stay inside the tree line though, so they won't see us coming if there is someone there.'

Sadie, who had been silent for the whole discussion suddenly piped in. 'I bet those O'Driscolls must have payed a visit here, they're the only ones dumber then us that would be out here in this weather.'

'Your probably right, Mrs. Adler.' Arthur agreed, guiding his horses into the trees after the older man. 'What do you think Dutch?'

'I think she's right to Arthur. No one else with half a brain would be out in this.' He stopped his horse again as they came onto the edge of the clearing, staying hidden in the shelter of the snow covered pines. Taking a mental note of the layout of the place he began to formulate a plan. 'We'll leave the horses here and go the rest of the way on foot. Stay low, and keep quiet. We'll head for the barn. And-' He looked at Sadie. 'If it is the O'Driscolls, please, for the love of God, let us handle them.'

'Fine. For now.' She knew now wasn't the time to argue, and quickly dismounted her horse. Grabbing the rifle she had been given from its scabbard on the saddle, she gave the stallion a quick pat, then dropped his reins on the snow. After she had ground tied him with the others, she made her way to where Dutch and Arthur were waiting for her. 'Right, let's go.'

Slowly they made their way across the clearing to the barn, using whatever cover there was to hide their approach. As they got closer to the cabin, they could see that a light was on inside, but on Dutch's command they continued on to the barn. If there were people inside, they had the upper hand because there wasn't much in the way of anything to cover them if things turned nasty and ended in a gunfight. Walking through the ranch yard they could see there the remains of dead dog lying on the ground, half eaten by wild animals and numerous mangled corpses of cats on the snow. "They've been shot." Arthur murmured as he glanced down at one, making out a bullet hole in its head then followed the others as they carried on their way. Going around to the side obscured to the house, they began to look for an entrance point to the barn. Finding a broken window, Dutch and Arthur climbed through.

Sadie crawled through the windows last and took cover like the men had told her to, her eyes adjusting to the light as Dutch and Arthur checked the barn to make sure no one was in it. 'What do you want me to do?'

Arthur didn't reply to her question as he walked over to some tacked up horses tied to the posts of the stalls. Looking at them, he recognized them straight away. Sure as shooting, the O'Driscolls were here. 'Dutch, it's the blasted O'Driscolls alright. I saw this horse the last time we had a run in with them, they're definitely here.'

'Wonderful.' He snorted as he looked at the horses, then back around the barn to answer Sadie's question. 'Have a look around for anything that might be of use to us and those back at the camp. Food, ammunition, anything. I know the folks holed up in the house will not be exactly too friendly, as I highly doubt they were to the former occupants. Arthur and I'll look around too, then we'll regroup here.'

'Alright.' She took a careful glance around the barn, wondering where she should start first. 'I'll take the cellar and the loft overhead. If they're got anything stored in here, it will be in either of those places I would think.'

'Please be careful, Mrs. Adler.' Dutch cautioned, regretting that he had agreed to take her along. She should be back at the camp, safe and sound, but instead she was here, and so were the people who she wanted to get revenge on. He wasn't to know though that the O'Driscolls would still be in this part of the country. 'Don't do anything stupid.'

'If by stupid you mean letting those trash live, then don't worry about it. I won't.' A crackle of fire flashed in her eyes as she felt the promise of revenge in her grasp. 'I won't take long.' Turning, she walked over to the cellar trap door she had seen earlier and went down the stairs then lit a lantern she found and began to look around for what food she could find. Opening a box, she found some canned fruit, and a few bottles of jam that still looked good and hadn't been spoiled from the cold. Placing them in the satchel she carried with her, she took another look around and found a few more items, then went back up the stairs and headed for the ladder. Passing Dutch and Arthur on her way as they scavenged through the horses saddle bags, she put the satchel down beside the window since it was full and then climbed the ladder into the loft. Looking in the cupboards in the loft, she found a couple of horse blankets and threw them down to the floor to take with them. Even though they were covered in horse hair, they couldn't afford to be picky about the blankets they used. Quickly she finished her search, and was about to leave when a strangely shaped tarp covering something lying under a table caught her eye. Walking over to it, she knelt and peeled the tarp back, then gagged and jumped back in horror as she saw what was under it. 'Mr. Morgan, Mr. Van Dar Linde, I found the former residents.'

Dutch heard the tone she used and guessed from it that they weren't alive. Motioning for Arthur to follow him, he climbed up the ladder and walked over to where Sadie was staring at the bodies. There, on the bloodstained hay and wood, lay four men and a woman. 'Dammit. Those helloneus monsters.' Kneeling down beside the corpses, he turned one of them over, the woman's glazed and ant eaten eyes staring at him. Looking at her chest, he could see the cause of her death.'She was shot.'

'Helloneus monsters is right.' Arthur took his hat off in respect as he shook his head, his hand covering his mouth and nose from the smell. 'They've been dead probably a week now I'd say. And from the look of it, their death wasn't a pleasant one.'

'What death is?' Sadie re-taunted, hate for the O'Driscolls filling her heart. Those men had killed an entire family, and had moved right on in to their ranch like they owned the place, just like they had tried to do with her and her husband. 'Those rotten scum.' She turned to Dutch, who had covered the bodies up and took another step back as the smell of rancid flesh hung in the air. 'What now?'

'We'll have to leave them here.'

'We'll come back and bury them though, won't we?' Arthur asked, shaking his head in disgust. 'It's the proper thing to do.'

'Of course we will.'

'Why do you think they killed them?' Sadie questioned. 'What motive might they have had? They killed my husband when he refused to give them our horses.'

Dutch went to reply to her when a girls piercing scream from the cabin cut through the air like a knife. Looking at the other two, they quickly exited the loft and barn without a word and headed for the cabin. They didn't need words, Arthur knew what he was thinking and Sadie was just following both of them. Sneaking up on the house, he peered through one of the window as male shouts and yells drowned out the girl's scream. There was a girl, knife in her hand trying desperately to fight for her life against five fully grown men. At her feet, he could make out two dead bodies, blood pooling onto the wooden floor underneath them as the girl continued to scream and lunge at them. The girl was fighting fiercely but he could tell that five against one wasn't odds in her favor. She wouldn't last much longer, he could see that she was tiring and a small child against five fully grown men wasn't going to end well for her. They had to intervene. 'There's five of those vermets holed up.' He reported as he ducked back down away from the window as Arthur and Sadie joined him. 'They've got a young girl with them in there, and from the looks of it she isn't going to be able to hold out much longer.'

'Well, what are we waiting for? Arthur asked as he grabbed out his pistol from his holster on his hip. 'Let's go get her out of there.' Taking the lead, since he was the best shot, they hurried around to the door of the house. Ducking down out of sight underneath the windows, they stopped on either side of the door. 'Ready?'

'Ready.' He replied as he took his position in front of the door, Arthur and Sadie beside him with guns drawn. 'I'll bust the door down, you take them out, but be careful not to hit the girl. Mrs. Adler, stay behind and stay low. We don't need you getting shot.'

'I know, I know.' She replied, taking cover behind Dutch and staying close to the wall of the cabin, crouching down low on the wooden floor of the porch. 'Don't worry about me, just get in there and get her out!'

'Three, two, one.' Dutch kicked the door with such force that the lock broke, the wooden door slamming into the wall it was hung on from the momentum. Instantly, the men inside went for their guns, but Arthur and him were too quick. The cabin resounded of gunshots as they jacked the bullets into them, the men trying to fight back but found their one way ticket to hell instead from their guns. Just as suddenly as the shooting had started, it stopped. The only sound left being the terrified screams of the girl. Putting his gun back in its holster, Dutch entered the cabin and began to approach the girl, who was barely clothed, only wearing a torn and bloody nightgown. The girl had managed to kill another man before they had entered the cabin, the knife she had been wielding plunged deep into the man's chest. 'Miss, it's going to be okay. We mean you no harm.'

The girl only screamed louder as he walked towards her, her blood-shot eyes rolling madly as she was cornered against the wall behind her of the one-roomed cabin. She wasn't screaming words, just screaming out of fear and terror, a horrible, blood curdling scream of one who has been tormented and tortured. Finding herself trapped, she began to freak out, pressed against a wall with more strangers and nowhere to run. Blood dripped down her from many cuts and gashes she had as she tried to make them back away, snarling and screaming like a caged wild animal.

'It's alright, it's alright, we're here to help you.'' Dutch repeated, trying to get the girl to calm down. As he watched her terror filled eyes, he was taken back to the night they had rescued Sadie. The woman had acted the same way, but the girl was showing a whole new level of terror. Slowly he continued to approach her, then he saw her face change as she snapped. Lashing out at him, her fist connected to his face and he sprung back in surprise as the girl charged at him like a wild animal. Quickly retreating, he put some space between her and him using the table that was in the middle of the room. 'Easy girl, we're not going to hurt you.'

The girl was still screaming as she lunged at Arthur who was standing in front of Sadie to protect her incase the girl went for her, this time pulling the knife out of the body that was on the floor.

The blade still dripping with blood from the man she had just killed before they had burst in, she lunged at the men with a hideous snarl as she jumped over a corpse lying on the floor. She wasn't paying any attention to what they were saying, all she knew was that men had killed her family, and in her disillusioned state of mind, she couldn't understand that these men were there to help her. Lunging for the men again, she didn't notice another corpse near the table and tripped over the dead body, falling against a cupboard that had a candle on it. The candle swayed, then fell over on its side onto a torn lace curtain, the cotton quickly going into flames. The girl didn't seem to notice though, as she quickly got back up and leapt for the men again. She was scared, terrified, with nowhere to run and no way of escape because they were blocking the door which was the only exit out of the cabin.

Sadie, who had been pressed against the door out of the way of danger by Arthur, watched in horror as the girl continued to fight against the two men. The girl went for them again, then suddenly tripped over a body and fell against a cupboard. Her eyes opened wide as she saw the candle on the top of it knocked over onto the curtain, then saw the girl lunge again at Arthur and Dutch with the knife. Suddenly, something inside her ticked and she sprung into action. Quickly getting around behind the girl, she rushed at her and wrapped both arms around her to stop her from hurting the men. Holding on tight as the girl struggled to get free, she nearly had to let go as the girl went to stab her. 'Get the knife off her, quickly!

Arthur and Dutch hurried around the table and grabbed the girls arm just as she went to stab Sadie. Quickly they wrestled the knife out of her grasp, the girl kicking and screaming and doing whatever else she could to get out of Sadie's hold but still the woman held on. "Woah, she's a wild one." Arthur gasped as he caught his breath, then looked back at Sadie struggling with the girl. "Here, I'll take her."

"No, its fine.' Sadie understood why the girl had reacted to them the way she had. The girl had been tortured by the men and goodness only knew what else they had done to her. 'It's you two that she's scared of, because of them." She looked at the dead bodies of the men on the floor, completely forgetting about the small fire that was rapidly growing. "And no wonder why. Calm down honey, we're not going to hurt you."

Sadie held onto the girl tight as the girl continued to fight against her, relieved that the men had gotten the knife off her, or she could have injured or killed her the same way she had the men. Looking down, she turned her attention back to getting the girl to calm down. For a girl her age and in her condition, she was surprised at just how much strength she had left. The girl was fighting like a mountain lion, biting her arms and kicking her with her legs, but because of the thick winter clothes Sadie was wearing, it had no effect on her. Slowly though over the course of a couple of minutes, the girls fighting became weaker and weaker, until her screams were no longer loud and ravenous, but more of strangled, strange rasps as she succumbed to fatigue. Seeing her giving up as the girl panted with exhaustion, she tried again to console her. 'There there, you're going to be alright now. We're here and those men can't hurt you any more. It's okay, it's okay. Just calm down sweetie. Everything's going to be alright.'

The girl finally stopped struggling as she gasped for air then stood shaking in the woman's arms. Slowly, for the first time they had been there, the words they were saying started to penetrate the fog that her fear had placed her in. She had been so scared, so terrified, but now as she came to her senses, she could feel comforting arms around her. Suddenly she was overwhelmed by everything that had happened to her, and she started to cry, feeling herself getting weaker and weaker as she almost fell to her knees from exhaustion.

'I've got you, sweetie.' Sadie reassured her as she felt the girl begin to fall, the girl making strangled blubbering noises that she guessed to be crying. Holding her up, she turned the girl to face her, then hugged her tight as the girl held onto her like her life depended on it. The girl was now sobbing heartrendingly into her shoulder, oblivious to the fire that was now rapidly engulfing the cabin. 'There there, you're alright, you're alright.'

Dutch and Arthur looked on in amazement as they lent against the table and caught their breath, recovering from the kids attack and watching the girls sudden change in behavior as she clung to Sadie. The kid had obviously been mistreated badly by the men that they had killed for her to act the way she had. They couldn't blame her though, really. They knew what the O'Driscolls were like, and they knew what they were capable of. Suddenly, the acid smell of smoke jolted them out of their thoughts and back to reality. Looking around, they could see that the fire was spreading, threatening to block off the only exit to the one roomed cabin, and the women were right on the other side, furthest from the door. 'Arthur, we've out now while we still can.'

'What about the women?' Arthur hesitated, but he could see the cabin rapidly filling with smoke, and the crackling of the fire louder than the girls strangled sobs. Hearing a wooden beam breaking, he looked up and watched as a piece of the roof came down in between them and Sadie and the girl, trapping the women in. 'We can't leave them.'

'I'll get them, you just go and get the horses. The O'Driscolls might see the fire and return, and if we don't get away from them, we'd be no better off then if we stayed in this fire. Hurry!' Dutch pushed Arthur in the direction of the door, then placed his bandanna over his face to help him not breath in the smoke. Quickly he set about stamping out the fire on the floor to make a path for Sadie and the girl to get to the door. 'Mrs. Adler! Mrs. Adler!'

Sadie heard Dutch calling her, and as she looked his direction, she saw with horror the fire all around them. Glancing down at the still sobbing girl, she tried not to panic so the girl wouldn't freak out from her fear. 'Okay honey, we really need to get moving. Come on now, we have to go.' Letting the girl go, she grabbed her by the hand, trying to jolt the girl out of the daze she was in. 'Come on!

Suddenly the girl saw the fire, and went into full-flight panic, a new terror penetrating her mind. She looked around, and saw the man standing across from them, making a path through the flames, but still she was frozen. If she wanted to get out of the fire, she would have to run straight for him, and she was too frightened of him to do that though.

Sadie could see that it was Dutch the girl was scared of, but this was a burning cabin they were in! Her adrenaline flooding through her, she picked up the girl in her arms, then began to walk towards Dutch while the girl began to rasply scream again. 'Come on, we've got to get out of here.' Making her way to the man, she took the hand he extended to her and gladly followed him out of the smoke and flames into the afternoon air. Now that they were outside of the burning cabin, she placed the girl back on the ground, then led her away to the safety of the ranch yard. Coughing for air, she saw Dutch doing the same, then saw to that Arthur was nowhere to be seen. 'Where's Arthur?'

'He's fine.' Dutch managed to say between coughs as he caught his breath. 'He's getting the horses.'

While her two rescues talked between themselves, the girl stood coughing, staring in a daze at her home as the cabin continued to burn. It had been the only home she had ever really known, the home she lived in with her parents and brothers, and now it was on fire, taking the only thing she had left with it. As she continued to watch and stare, a horrible feeling washed over her. The only kitten she had managed to hide from the outlaws when they arrived and had shot her pets for fun was in a box under her bed _in the burning cabin. _With no thought at all for her own safety, she sprinted back towards the cabin with strength she didn't know she had left, racing to save her kitten before it was too late.

Arthur was leading the horses down to the ranch when he saw the girl take off back towards the burning building, then gasped as he realized she was going to go back in. 'Dutch, Sadie! _The girl!' _He yelled at them from up on the hill. '"You have to stop her!'

Sadie heard Arthur's voice, and looked around for the girl, who had been standing next to her just a second ago. As she looked back over at the cabin, her blood ran cold. 'NO! DON'T GO BACK IN THERE!'

'DON'T GO IN!' Dutch yelled, repeating Sadie's plea, but it fell on deaf ears. The girl jumped over a burning plank and disappeared into the smoke as he shook his head in disbelief. 'What in the tarnation?'

'Oh, my god.' She hurried forward after the girl, but stopped at the edge of the flames, Dutch pulling her back with a hand on her shoulders. 'Let me go, I have to get her out of there!'

'No, you can't go back in. You'd never make it out.'

'I don't care if I die, I want to die! I have nothing to live for!." Sadie argued as she tried to get away from him. "But that girl doesn't deserve to!' She tried to get away from his grasp, then stopped as she heard the tell-tale noise of the roof about to collapse that she had heard not so very long ago. 'NO!'


End file.
